BCL-2 Gene Expression Effect on Haematological Profiles among CML Patients in Ile –Ife. Osun State. Nigeria

BCL-2 was the first anti-death gene. A key for oncogenic mechanism in several haematological malignancies, has been attributed to the upregulation of BCL-2 which is caused by numerous mechanisms. The aim of the study is to evaluate the BCL-2 gene mutation by its expression level and the resultant effect on haematological profiles among Chronic Myelogenous Leukemic (CML) patients in Ile Ife. This study was cross-sectional and a total of 100 consenting participants were recruited: 50 known CML patients and 50 control subjects. Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, a Referral Centre for haematologic malignancies, and Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ile-Ife, were used as the study centers. Full blood count was done using 3-part haematology auto analyzer (Mindray), while RNA extraction and qPCR Bcl-2 quantification were done using real time PCR equipment. The results obtained from the study shows that there are higher expression levels of the Bcl-2 gene in CML samples compared with control samples, attaining significant p<0.05. Bcl-2 overexpression, suggests that dysregulated Bcl-2 is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of CML. The haematology parameters also shows significant effect of Bcl-2 mutation (p<0.05) as follows: 30% leukocytosis was observed in CML with gene expression compared to normal leukocyte count observed among 43(86%) control and 29(58%) CML with no gene expression. It was noted that more than halve i.e 24% CML with overexpression have anaemia while more than halve i.e.44%CML with no expression and 70%control has normal PCV. The 14% thrombocytosis among the CML with gene expression compared to 2% among the non-expressed CML and 4% among the control is prognostic. The overexpression observed in this study is suggestive of a level that is characteristic of CML patients, and its association with anaemia, leukocytosis and neutrophilia and can be used in the evaluation of the disease and aid in the BCL-2 therapy.